Pakistan elections 2018: All the latest updates

Final results expected on Friday as Imran Khan's PTI emerges as largest party, but falls short of majority.

27 Jul 2018 12:03 GMT

Quick facts

272 seats are up for grabs

Polls held for the national and provincial assemblies

60 seats reserved for women, 10 for minorities

Some 106 million registered voters

This will be only the second civilian transfer of power in Pakistan's 70-year history

Up to 800,000 security personnel deployed across 85,000 polling stations

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has declared victory in the general elections as results trickled in a day after the vote.

While Khan maintained a commanding lead, his party will not be able to form a majority government, according to official results from 95 percent of constituencies. A majority of 137 seats is needed to form a government.

Millions of Pakistanis flocked to polling stations to vote amid violence, including a suicide attack in the western city of Quetta that claimed at least 31 lives.

Live results

Here are the latest updates:

Pakistan election 'not a level playing field'

A European Union monitoring team said on Friday that the campaign for Pakistan's general election this week featured a "lack of equality" that meant it was not a level playing field for all parties.

"Although there were several legal provisions aimed at ensuring a level playing field, we have concluded that there was a lack of equality and (of) opportunity," Michael Gahler, chief observer of the EU Election Observation Mission, told a news conference in its preliminary assessment of the poll.

Pakistan cricket legend-turned-politician Imran Khan has declared victory with a large lead in the nearly complete vote count.

The party of jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said elements of the powerful military suppressed its campaign and made accusations of rigging during the counting process after Wednesday's vote.

Pakistan awaits vote results

On Friday, Pakistan awaited the delayed results of general elections that have already seen a jubilant Imran Khan claim victory, despite allegations of massive vote-rigging in favour of the cricket icon-turned-politician.

Election officials are under fire for the lack of a result two days after ballots closed, an unprecedented delay that observers say has undermined the legitimacy of the exercise.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has dismissed allegations of manipulation - blaming the delay on glitches in new, untested counting software - and said there would be a result by Friday.

International observers, including a European Union delegation, are due to give their preliminary assessments of the vote on Friday, after rival parties, including the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), alleged "blatant" rigging.

Supporters of Imran Khan wave a party flag as they celebrate PTI party's victory [Faisal Mahmood/Reuters]

Khan awaits final poll tally to begin coalition building

Pakistan's electoral commission is expected to announce the full results of a disputed election on Friday, paving the way for the winner, Imran Khan, to begin searching for coalition partners.

Although Khan appeared to fall short of the 137 seats needed for a majority in the National Assembly, his better-than-expected results mean he should have no problems forming a government with a handful of small coalition partners.

Provisional results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday morning showed Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), or Pakistan Movement for Justice party, had won 109 seats out of the 251 races where counting had ended. The National Assembly has 272 seats in total.

Jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had bagged 63 seats, the results showed. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was third with 39 seats.

Cricket fraternity says congrats

It was in your leadership skip @ImrankhanPTI that we became world champions in 1992. It is in your leadership that we can again become a great democratic country. #voteforkapatan#nayapakistan

Pakistan-India talks on the cards?

PTI leader Imran Khan said he wants "trade ties" with India, adding that leaders of both countries should talk to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

"I say this with conviction that it is in the interest of the subcontinent that India and Pakistan get along," he said in his speech. "Take one step towards us, we will take two steps towards you. We need to have a dialogue to settle our issues."

'We will run Pakistan like it's never been run before'

PTI chief Imran Khan, in a speech on Thursday, said the elections have given him a chance to fulfil his dream for Pakistan.

"I started this struggle 22 years ago and thankfully, today, I have been given a chance to fulfil what I dreamt for the country," said Khan.

"We will run Pakistan like it's never been run before."

"We are going to uplift Pakistan’s poor and help our country’s labourers. Corruption has been eating Pakistan like a kind of cancer. We will set an example that the law will be the same for everybody."

Khan tells India: "Take one step towards us, we will take two steps towards you. We need to have a dialogue to settle our issues."

"We've seen the other two parties, now [Imran Khan's] got a chance," says Shaukat Ali, 55, an ice factory worker in Lahore's Icchra neighbourhood who voted for the PML-N. "If he benefits the people, the that's great." pic.twitter.com/6A0j1O2tHK

Instability or reconciliation?

"One thing is clear that Imran Khan is headed for victory and is likely to be the next prime minister of Pakistan," said Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad.

"But it will be important to see how the political opposition is going to react to this," he added.

"Is this going to lead to more political instability or are the politicians going to reconcile with the idea that they have suffered a major defeat; that the traditional parties have been booted out and a new party, which is promising accountability and change, has been voted in by a vast majority of the Pakistani electorate."

Social media reaction

Former cricket players, athletes and celebrity musicians have congratulated PTI's Khan for his performance at the country's general elections on social media.

"This is the result of 22 years of conviction, relentless efforts, determination and not giving up!" said former fast-bowler and national cricket team player Shoaib Akhtar.

Congrat PTI and @ImranKhanPTI on a truly historic victory! The 22 yr old struggle has finally paid off & deservedly. Pakistanis have a lot of expectations from u I really hope u lead from the front! I request all opposing parties& media to accept the result and help rebuild 🇵🇰

22 years later, after humiliations, hurdles and sacrifices, my sons' father is Pakistan's next PM. It's an incredible lesson in tenacity, belief & refusal to accept defeat. The challenge now is to remember why he entered politics in the 1st place. Congratulations @ImranKhanPTI

Official results trickle in

Early celebrations

Supporters of Khan's PTI kicked off early celebrations in different cities on Wednesday night, with the centrist party leading in the projected, preliminary tally announced on local television channels.

With 48 percent of the total vote counted, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan was listed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as leading in 113 of 272 contested National Assembly constituencies, Reuters news agency reported.

Shehbaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was ahead in 64 constituencies, and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), headed by the son of assassinated two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, led in 42 constituencies.

"According to the latest information we have, PTI has swept the polls in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province," said Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad.

They're [PTI] also in a very strong position in the Punjab provincial assembly and have so far, received the largest number of votes in the National Assembly, which is the lower house of parliament," he added.

'No conspiracy'

A top Pakistani election official said there is "no conspiracy" in the delay in announcing official results for the election, but instead technical issues are to blame.

"There's no conspiracy, nor any pressure in delay of the results," Babar Yaqoob, secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan, told reporters on Thursday. "The delay is being caused because the result transmission system has collapsed."

Technical issue delaying results

The delay in announcing the official results is due to a technical issue with the Results Transmission System (RTS), according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

"We were supposed to get 85,000 forms through the RTS but only 25,000 managed to come through," Babar Yaqoob, the ECP secretary, told reporters before adding that forms bearing results from the polling stations would be transported by road to the Returning Officers. "We havent't received a single result yet."

PML-N to 'reject' vote count

Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N chief, has announced his party would reject the vote count in the general election due to alleged rigging.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) wholly rejects the results of General Elections 2018 due to manifest & massive irregularities. Form 45 was not given to our agents, results were stopped & votes were counted in the absence of our poll agents. This is both unbearable & unacceptable!

"Today, we thought that the elections would allow people to act with their free will ... but when polling ended, and after that what we saw happen, I think that I have never seen anything as horrific as this in my political career," Shehbaz told reporters in Lahore.

"Today what has happened, we are taking Pakistan 30 years into the past. This kind of public mandate, of millions of people who voted in all of Pakistan, that mandate has been disrespected and dishonoured."

"We completely reject this result, completely."

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has questioned the delay in announcing the first set of official results.

It's now past midnight & I haven't received official results from any constituency I am contesting my myself. My candidates complaining polling agents have been thrown out of polling stations across the country. Inexcusable & outrageous.

While you wait...

Results to be in 'soon'

The Election Commission of Pakistan Secretary, while addressing the delay, said the results will be shared as soon as they are in.

"We want to give you accurate results and we will have them as soon as they are in," Babar Yaqoob told reporters.

Pakistan Television, the state tv, has put the PTI in the lead on 105 seats with the PML-N ahead on 71 seats after partial results.

Election Results will be transmitted through the fastest and modern system. According to the Election Commission, Results Transmission System (RTS) is linked to 80,000 polling stations across the country. pic.twitter.com/2AYNmeAiFF

Local media projections

Early projections from four local TV channels have put Imran Khan's PTI in the lead, estimating it would win between 94 and 102 of 272 elected seats available.

However, those projections were based on only about 10-15 percent of votes counted. The first official results are yet to be announced by the election commission.

PTI supporters celebrate following the end of the polling in the general elections. Local media, projecting results from the partial and unofficial results, are showing PTI in an early lead [Muhammad Reza/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

The wait goes on

While the nation awaits official results from the Election Commission of Pakistan, there is hope and optimism among Pakistanis for what the future holds following the historic elections.

Pakistan goes to the polls today for it's 3rd successive democratic #election Yes, there is violence, corruption & extremism but each election is a step closer to the democracy & development the people deserve !!! #Election2018

Happy Election Day Pakistan, you maddening, beautiful, crazy, beloved old friend. Here's hoping the people who count your votes, let your vote count. And you get the leader you believe in. Pakistan Zindabad!

Counting under way

Counting of votes is under way and unofficial results from various constituencies are being announced by local media. Visit our live results page for all the official results announced by Election Commission of Pakistan.

Election officials count ballots in Islamabad after polls closed during the general elections [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters]

Polls close

Polls have closed in Pakistan elections but the Election Commission said voters who were still inside polling booths at the close at 6pm (13:00 GMT) could complete the voting process.

Thank you fellow Pakistanis. World has seen your love & respect for Pak Armed Forces & LEAs today. U hv rejected all kinds of malicious propaganda. We are strong because we have your unflinching support. Our lives are dedicated to Pakistan and its People. 🇵🇰Pakistan wins again! pic.twitter.com/MGbujoGjZk

Notice sent to Imran Khan

Pakistan Election Commission has issued a notice to PTI chairman Imran Khan saying his vote could be disqualified after he cast his ballot in front of television cameras, violating "the secrecy of the ballot paper".

Spirits are high in Lahore (in a typical Lahori style) Punjab province-the heartland of politics in Pakistan-hotly contested between #PMLN led by Nawaz Sharif's brother Shahbaz and #PTI led by Imran Khan. Nawaz Sharif & his daughter are in jail but still have support @AJEnglishpic.twitter.com/KLWZX1z9cG

'High turnout expected'

Shiraz Khan Paracha, director of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, said the "horrific" suicide attack in Quetta, which killed at least 29 people, has not deterred people from voting.

"What we are observing is that despite the very serious incident, people are still coming to the polling stations, there are long queues all across Pakistan and the expectation is that this time the turnout could be even higher than the previous elections," he told Al Jazeera in an interview from Islamabad, the country's capital.

Voices from the streets of Lahore:

Al Jazeera's Asad Hashim spoke to voters in the eastern city of Lahore, Punjab:

"As long as there is corruption, how can there be development?" asked Waqas Jamshed, 30, who owns a fast food restaurant and is a PTI supporter.

"With the PML-N, we see them doing some work," said Shahid Bashir, 50, who has been driving a rickshaw in Lahore for the last 18 years. He has always supported the PML-N.

"Look, everyone steals a bit, but at least with the PML-N we can see the work being done," Bashir added.

"Now our army, our intelligence agencies and the judiciary are taking sides in politics, they have become touts for PTI," another PML-N voter, Tariq Ateeq Sheikh, 50, alleged, echoing widespread allegations that the country's powerful military has applied pressure on politicians ahead of the polls.

Shahid Bashir, PML-N voter [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

Younis Naseeb, 42, a tailor in Lahore's NA-131 constituency, split his vote, backing the PML-N's Khawaja Saad Rafique against Khan for the National Assembly, but voting for the PPP candidate for the Punjab provincial assembly seat from the same area.

"I changed my vote for the provincial assembly because I wanted to see change of some kind. We may as well give them a chance.

"Now our army, our intelligence agencies and the judiciary are taking sides in politics, they have become touts for the PTI," the PML-N voter alleged, echoing widespread allegations that the country's powerful military has applied pressure on politicians ahead of the polls.

At least 29 people, including two policemen, have been killed and more than 40 wounded after a bomb explosion near a polling station hit a police van in the southwestern city of Quetta.

Waseem Baig, spokesperson for the Quetta civil hospital, confirmed the death toll to Al Jazeera from the blast in the eastern bypass area of Quetta.

"There was already a high threat alert," said Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad. "Importantly, what we are told at this point is that the suicide bomber was a motorcyclist."

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the attack via its Amaq website.

Condemnable terrorist attack in Quetta by enemies of Pak seeking to disrupt our democratic process. Saddened by the loss of innocent lives. Pakistanis must defeat the terrorists' design by coming out in strength to cast their vote.

The explosion occurred hours after polls opened in Quetta [Saadullah Akhtar/Al Jazeera]

Imran Khan votes in Islamabad

Imran Khan arrives at a polling station during the general election in Islamabad [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters]

PTI chairman Imran Khan has cast his ballot in the capital, Islamabad.

Talking to the media after voting, the former cricketer urged the entire nation to come out and exercise their right to vote.

"Today I urge all of Pakistan to get out and vote; just vote for any party," he told reporters. "This is the most important election in this country's history. It's an opportunity to defeat the status quo."

Shooting in Swabi

A shooting between supporters of two opposing political parties has left one person dead and wounded two people in a village near the northwestern city of Swabi, police said.

Police officer Khalid Hamdani told Associated Press news agency it is unclear what triggered the shootout between a group of supporters of the secular Awami National Party (ANP), which has often been targeted by the Taliban, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by former cricket star Imran Khan, a centre-right party.

'High-stakes election'

"We've already seen people turning up early here in Islamabad, so that they can get over with voting," said Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad.

"It is indeed a tough-fought election. There is still a lot at stake. All three mainstream political parties are saying that they are gong to get a high number of votes and seats, but the people of Pakistan will make that ultimate decision."

Been roaming the streets of Lahore's NA125 constituency all morning. Seeing a slow, steady stream of voters, but no big crowds or lines. Compared to the by-poll here in September, voter numbers seem small, at least so far. pic.twitter.com/museV3qYqZ

Voting under way in Lahore

Amna Bibi, 74, says she is voting for the PTI in Lahore's NA-125 constituency, as she believes Imran Khan can bring change to Pakistan.

"He is a man that you can look in the eye," she told Al Jazeera. "Everyone deserves a chance in power."

Rabia Nusrat, 45, says she is voting for PML-N in Lahore's NA-125 constituency because she believes party leader Nawaz Sharif - jailed for corruption earlier this month - has been unjustly convicted.

"He is sick and sitting in Adiala jail. What need did he have to come back, if he was guilty he could have stayed abroad."

PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif in line at his local polling station in the NA130 constituency of Lahore [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

Shehbaz wasn't the first voter in line at this polling station, though. That honour goes to Zafar Mehdi, a 73-year- old schoolteacher. "I'm always the first to vote in my area," he says. (He was in and out in 15 minutes.) #ElectionPakistanpic.twitter.com/v04TeItfBu

Polls open

"Polls are now open across Pakistan in what will be a truly massive electoral exercise," said Al Jazeera's Asad Hashim, reporting from Lahore.

"Some major story lines to watch for: Can Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf displace the dominant PML-N party of Nawaz Sharif from its political heartland of Punjab? If it does, it'll have gone a long way towards securing the government. Read more here."

"How will Pakistan's slew of new far-right parties fare in actual voting? Will they be able to sway enough voters away from the mainstream parties to win a seat? More here."

"Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas vote for the first time as part of directly-governed Pakistan, after being merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province earlier this year. Which way will the tribal areas - where a widespread rights movement has challenged the status quo - vote?"

"In Karachi, Pakistan's largest metropolis, the hold of the dominant Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party appears to have been broken by a sustained paramilitary operation that has targeted the party's criminal enterprises. So will the sprawling metropolis of more than 18 million still vote for MQM, or can other parties finally gain a foothold there for the first time in 30 years?"

"Follow Al Jazeera's reporters in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and elsewhere as we provide you reporting from on the ground throughout the day."

Tuesday, July 24

Deadly attack

Pakistani intelligence officials say attackers killed four troops escorting an election convoy in the volatile southwestern province of Baluchistan. Two intelligence officials told The Associated Press the soldiers were escorting a convoy with election staffers and voting material on Tuesday in the district of Turbat when they came under attack.

The officials say the assailants first fired rocket-propelled grenades as the convoy passed through the Niwano area, then shot at troops with automatic weapons. Three army soldiers and a member of the paramilitary force were killed.

Thirteen people - eight soldiers, a member of the paramilitary force, and four civilians - were wounded. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Tight security

Security has been stepped up in the country after a series of deadly attacks targeting candidates or campaign workers ahead of the polls.

About 800,000 security personnel, including more than 370,000 army soldiers, are on duty to ensure security on election day, according to Pakistan's Election Commission.

The process of deploying troops across the country to conduct free, fair and transparent elections was completed on Tuesday, the government said on Twitter.

"Voter turnout is expected to be high, but the security concerns are going to be paramount," said Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad.

Final preparations

Around 1.6 million electoral staff are expected to be on duty on election day.

WATCH: Election countdown begins in Pakistan

Last day of campaigning

Electioneering officially came to a close on Monday night, with all the major parties making one final push to convince voters.

No public campaigning is allowed 24 hours before the polls open in Pakistan.

PTI's Khan held a series of rallies in the eastern city of Lahore, PML-N's political heartland.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif also addressed a rally in the central town of Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, urging the nation to "give respect to the vote", a party rallying cry that refers to their allegation that the military and judiciary have been interfering in the political process.

Press freedom concerns

The run-up to the polls has been marred by widespread allegations of pre-poll engineering and censorship of the press by the military.

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On Monday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said journalists in the country faced a sustained and concerted series of curbs, including disruptions and closures of the country's top news organisations.

It documented instances where television channels had been forced off the air, as well as how news coverage of Sharif's conviction was shaped by the "establishment", a common euphemism in Pakistan for the military and intelligence services.